What drives somebody to put their own money on the line for the entertainment of others? At its most basic that is exactly what being an independent comedy promoter entails. For Steve Lount, who has been promoting comedy in Bristol under various guises for the last twelve years, it is the love of comedy, and the fact that he never wanted to do a ‘proper’ job. “I love stand-up comedy and I love the idea of putting on shows for the public. It's the whole thing of booking the acts, marketing the shows, setting up the event. I get a constant buzz from doing it and I never get bored. “I never wanted a ‘real’ job because of the hours. I hated school because of the structure. I love the unpredictability of it in terms of revenue, audience reaction etc.” Still a fan A comedy fan since his youth, growing up with classic television comedies such as The Two Ronnies, Monty Python, and Pete & Dud, Steve’s experience of stand-up first came with the likes of Dave Allen and Jasper Carrott – trailblazers of the genre in the days before the new wave of alternative comedians came along. Today he tries not to allow his personal taste affect who he books, but seeing as he has to attend every show personally, it can sway the listings. “I don't like to repeat people too often. I very rarely have the same act more than twice in a year. Even though my audiences probably only come occasionally I have to be there every week. So, in essence, I do book acts for myself, not just for the audience. “I usually go with my gut instinct. If a room is laughing throughout a comic's set then they will probably get re-booked, even if I am not a fan. Conversely, if I believe in an act and they struggle one night I will go to see them play somewhere else to reassess them.” Great nights Over the years many aspiring acts have passed through Steve’s doors, many of which have gone on to much bigger things. The former Comedy Box location on Gloucester Road even saw Graham Norton perform his very first stand-up comedy gig. There have been numerous great nights but in Steve’s eyes one stands out above the rest. “The best show I ever put on is also one of the first. In 1992 I had the fortune of promoting Steve Coogan's Edinburgh show before it won the Perrier Award that year. “I felt as though I was in the presence of a genius. The show dripped quality throughout. These days Steve Coogan is an aspiring Hollywood actor but I think his forte is in character comedy for television. People talk about the genius of Ricky Gervais but Coogan is constantly inventive.” Not exactly to plan Short of acts not turning up because their agents had failed to tell them they were booked, or turning up so late the show had finished, there have been few real disasters. However one embarrassing incident involving Al Murray as his award winning character The Pub Landlord stands out as probably one of the closest. “He was performing two nights at the former Bristol Flyer pub on Gloucester Road back in 1998. After the first night someone had entered the room in the daytime and stole his costume and bag which contained all his notes. “Al Murray was extremely pissed off and almost called the second night off. After rummaging around in the real pub landlord's wardrobe in the flat upstairs we found an almost exact replica of the Landlord character's burgundy blazer (no, it hadn't been taken by the real guv'nor). And the black trousers were provided by a pub doorman. So all was well. Apart from the fact that Al Murray will never let me forget it!” On the up After twelve years seeing comedians move up through the ranks Steve still enjoys seeing new acts coming through. “New acts are the life and blood of the circuit. New comedians are required all the time because the circuit is constantly expanding, just like the universe, and needs new talent to fill the clubs. “We are in a stand-up boom at the moment and new clubs are competing for good comedians. And comedians only get good if you give them opportunities.” Stand-up comedy is rising in popularity as a form of entertainment, and is significantly more popular now than it ever has been. Something Steve puts down to big business. “I think that can be attributed to the expanding Jongleurs chain. More people who wouldn't consider taking a risk on unknown performers see Jongleurs or clubs like it as a complete night out featuring comedians, food, party atmosphere and disco. They may not know who the comedians are but they trust the product. “Whereas the kind of club I run I have to try and flatter the audience by suggesting these are acts who are important creatively and should be seen. it's all about how you market the club.” Pros and cons So what are the pros and cons of being a small independent promoter? “The pros are being able to make your own decisions about which acts appear. After twelve years I still get a kick out of running the shows. I feel I am providing a public service for Bristol. “On the flipside, though, is the fact that there's not a lot of money to be made by remaining small. I just make a living income out of it. “Also I am fairly low down the pecking order when it comes to booking acts at weekends because of the money I offer or the number of consecutive nights I can employ someone. But, fortunately, I think I have built up such a good reputation with comedians and agents over the years that not too many of them overlook my venue.”
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